Beyond Obedience | Dog Training, Dog Behaviour Training, Scared Dogs, Reactive Dogs

Tracy Franken: Retired Vet Tech , Dog Trainer, Dog Lover, Dog Bond Specialist 🐾

Do you long to have a happy, confident dog you can take anywhere? Are you worried your reactive, fearful dog may hurt someone or something else? Do you have to ā€œprepareā€ yourself to take your dog for a walk around the block? Hey there! I’m Tracy, a retired vet tech turned dog trainer, mom, wife and all-around dog lover. When I realized the key to building confidence in my dog was in understanding him and NOT just tossing treats and obedience my life changed! Now I have a pack of ā€œjust good dogsā€ I trust to take anywhere. And I am sharing it all here! So put down that leash & let's get to it!

  1. 4D AGO

    170 | Tired of Trying to Control Your Dog? Step Into Leadership Beyond Leashes

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 What if leadership with your dog had nothing to do with being the boss… and everything to do with being worth following? In this episode, we’re rewriting the rules on what it means to lead your dog—and spoiler alert: it’s not about dominance, micromanaging, or having the tightest leash grip on the block. Instead, we’ll dive into what true, trust-based leadership looks like: How to become your dog’s anchor, not their overlord Why your leash should be a form of communication, not control The six core qualities of someone a dog chooses to follow How to shift from reactive managing to intentional guiding—even in real-world chaos And yes—we’re also talking about the one leadership quality most people miss:šŸ‘‰ Don’t take it personally.Your dog’s behavior isn’t about your worth—it’s about their safety. And they’re just waiting to know they can lean on you. Whether your dog is leash reactive, fearful, or just seems to ā€œtune you out,ā€ this episode will help you move from trying to fix your dog… to becoming the steady, calm leader they’ve been searching for all along. Hope you enjoy Tracy xoxox NEXT STEPS šŸ‘£šŸ¾ Ready to take this to the next step? Join the Fearless FrameworkA 12-month online program for dog lovers navigating fear, reactivity, and unconfidence(and yep—we help the dogs too šŸ˜‰)šŸ‘‰ www.beyondobedience.ca/fearless Want to know your dog’s unique Dogonalityā„¢?Take the free quiz here:šŸ‘‰ www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz Come connect in the free FB group, Living Beyond Obedience:šŸ‘‰ Join here Music Credit šŸŽ¶Shawn Trotter – www.shawntrotter.com

    28 min
  2. JAN 12

    169 | Obsessed with Your Dog’s Body Language? Here’s What You’re Missing

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 If you’ve ever found yourself obsessively watching your dog’s every lip lick, whale eye, or tail twitch… this episode is for you. Today, we’re pulling back the curtain on why hyper-focusing on stress signals might actually be causing you to miss the bigger picture in your relationship. Yes—your dog’s body language matters. But when you slip into stress-monitor mode, you lose your most powerful role: being their leader, their anchor, their source of calm confidence. In this episode, I’ll help you: Reframe stress as feedback, not failure Understand why watching your dog too closely can break trust Learn how to respond to the world instead of reacting to the dog Shift from anxious analyzing into grounded leadership and connection Because here’s the truth: your dog isn’t looking for you to spot danger.They’re looking to you to say, ā€œI see it—and we’re okay.ā€ You’ll walk away from this one with some super practical mindset shifts, a few ā€œHow interesting!ā€ moments… and a deeper understanding of what your dog is really asking for when they look to you. Hope you enjoy Tracy xoxox NEXT STEPS šŸ‘£šŸ¾ Ready to get to know your dog even better? Join the Fearless FrameworkThe 12-month online program for dog lovers navigating fear, unconfidence, and excitability.(And yep—we help the dogs too šŸ˜‰)šŸ‘‰ www.beyondobedience.ca/fearless Want to know your dog’s unique Dogonalityā„¢?Take the free quiz here:šŸ‘‰ www.beyondobedience.ca/quiz Come hang with us in the free FB group, Living Beyond Obedience:šŸ‘‰ Join here Music Credit šŸŽ¶Shawn Trotter – www.shawntrotter.com

    22 min
  3. JAN 8

    168 |Why Your Dog Follows You (or Doesn’t): The Truth About Leadership

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 It’s 2026, and if you’re already feeling a little overwhelmed—guess what? You’re not alone. Leadership doesn’t always look like calm walks and quiet mornings. Sometimes it looks like showing up tired, unsure, and still choosing to lead anyway. In this episode, we’re digging into what it really means to be a leader your dog trusts—especially when life feels loud, messy, or just plain hard. Forget ā€œalpha.ā€ Forget control.Real dog training in 2026 starts with calm energy, emotional awareness, and choosing connection over correction. Whether you're raising a reactive dog, living with a scared dog, or just trying to be the calm in your chaotic household, this episode will help you step into a version of leadership that’s grounded, accessible, and human. Inside this episode: Why your dog’s behaviour often reflects your internal state What calm leadership looks like when you’re not feeling calm How to be the person your reactive or anxious dog can trust What we can learn from naturally grounded dogs Simple shifts when life gets hard, and your leadership is tanking. This is your reminder: you don’t have to be perfect to be powerful.And you don’t need to shout to be heard—especially by your dog. Hope you enjoy!Tracy xoxox NEXT STEPS šŸ¾šŸ‘£ Ready to lead your dog with calm, clarity, and confidence—no matter what life throws at you? šŸ’› Inside the Fearless Framework, we go beyond basic dog training and dive deep into leadership, trust, and real behaviour change for reactive, fearful, anxious, and sensitive dogs.Start your journey here: šŸ‘‰ beyondobedience.ca/fearless šŸ’¬ Not sure it’s a fit? Send me a voice memo or message at beyondobedience.ca/contact, and let’s figure it out together. Your dog is watching. Not for perfection—but for presence.Let’s lead from there. šŸ¾

    29 min
  4. JAN 5

    167 | Why ā€˜New Year, New You’ is Failing Your Dog (And What to Do Instead)

    Hey Dog Lover 🐾 ā€œNew Year, New You!ā€We hear it every January… but let’s be honest: do you really need a ā€œnewā€ you? What if this year isn’t about fixing what’s broken, but believing in who you already are? What if the best thing you could do for your dog is to stop chasing perfection—and start showing up with calm, clarity, and confidence? In this episode, we’re ditching the resolutions and talking about something more powerful: choosing a Word of the Year. This simple practice can shift everything—your mindset, your energy, and your relationship with your dog. You’ll hear how focusing on intention (instead of instruction) helps build trust, connection, and a deeper sense of leadership—especially if you're navigating life with a reactive dog, a scared dog, or a rescue dog still learning the world is safe. Inside this episode: Why most resolutions fail—and how to build real change through relationship How your energy impacts dog behavior (especially anxiety and reactivity) What it really means to lead with calm when your life is anything but calm Why trust-based leadership works better than obedience training for the long haul Whether you’re working with a fearful dog, hoping to raise a confident dog, or just craving a more connected, peaceful home—this episode is your invitation to lead differently this year. Hope you enjoy!Tracy xoxox NEXT STEPS šŸ¾šŸ‘£ This year, don’t train harder. Connect deeper. šŸ’› Join the Fearless Framework, my signature program that helps you rebuild trust, reduce reactivity, and guide your dog with calm, confidence, and leadership—no matter where you’re starting from.šŸ‘‰ beyondobedience.ca/fearless šŸ’¬ Got questions? Not sure if your dog is ā€œfearful enoughā€ for the program? (Hint: they don’t have to be.)Send me a voice memo or message at beyondobedience.ca/contact and let’s figure it out together. This is the year we stop performing and start partnering.Let’s do this—one intentional step at a time.

    27 min
  5. JAN 1

    166 | Your Word of the Year (And Why It Matters to Your Dog)

    🐾 Hey dog lover, As a new year begins, a lot of people are making lists, setting goals, and trying to ā€œfixā€ things. But what if this year didn’t start with a to-do list? What if it started with a word? In today’s episode, ā€œYour Word of the Year (And Why It Matters to Your Dog),ā€ we’re talking about intention — not training plans. Because your dog doesn’t experience your goals. They experience you. Your energy. Your consistency. Your presence. In this episode, I invite you to reflect on: Why a single guiding word can shape your relationship all year long How dogs respond to intention more than instruction What it means to lead with clarity instead of pressure How words like Trust, Soft, Present, Relevance, or Enough can quietly change everything This isn’t about choosing the ā€œrightā€ word. It’s about choosing one that helps you show up differently. More aware. More grounded. More intentional. Because when you lead your life — and your relationship with your dog — through a clear lens, your dog feels it in every interaction. I hope you enjoy it. šŸ’› – Tracy NEXT STEPS šŸ‘£šŸ¾ If you’re ready to deepen your relationship with your dog and create a calm, confident life together, I invite you to join The Fearless Framework ā€” my 12-month online program that helps you build a beautiful bond so everything gets easier with your dog. Yes, even reactivity. Yes, even fearfulness. Yes, even the behaviours you’ve been told to ā€œmanage forever.ā€ šŸŽ¶ Music Credit: Shawn Trotter shawntrotter.com

    21 min
  6. 12/29/2025

    165 | The Resolution Your Dog’s Been Waiting For

    Hey there, Dog Lover šŸ‘£šŸ¾ Hey dog lover, As we head toward a new year, there’s a lot of noise out there telling you what you should be doing with your dog. More commands.More talking.More ā€œcorrections.ā€ But here’s the truth your dog already knows:They don’t need more chatter.They need more calm. In today’s episode, ā€œShut Up and Show Up: The Resolution Your Dog’s Been Waiting For,ā€ we’re talking about a different kind of New Year’s resolution — one that actually changes dog behavior. We’ll explore: Why less talking and more breathing changes everything How dogs read your body, energy, and nervous system — not your words What ā€œquiet leadershipā€ really looks like in everyday life A resolution worth making: being more still, more present, and more aware This isn’t about saying nothing.It’s about being something. Because when you slow down, your dog can finally exhale.And when you show up calmly and clearly, your dog doesn’t have to work so hard to figure out the world. I hope you enjoy it. šŸ’›ā€“ Tracy NEXT STEPS šŸ¾šŸ‘£ If you’re ready to deepen your connection with your dog and create a calm, confident life together, I invite you to join The Fearless Framework ā€” my 12-month online program that helps you build a beautiful bond so everything gets easier with your dog. Yes, even reactivity.Yes, even fearfulness.Yes, even the behaviours you were told were ā€œjust how your dog is.ā€ šŸŽ¶ Music Credit:Shawn Trottershawntrotter.com

    17 min
  7. 12/25/2025

    164 | Merry Christmas to You and Your Pack (Yes, I Said Pack)

    Hey there, Dog Lover 🐾 Merry Christmas, my friend.If you’re listening to this with a dog at your feet, on your couch, or watching you from across the room… this episode is for you. Christmas has a way of slowing time—if we let it.It invites us to pause, reflect, and notice what actually makes a home feel safe, warm, and whole. And for our dogs, that magic isn’t found in gifts, routines, or perfectly managed moments.It lives in presence.In shared space.In the quiet rhythm of simply being together. In this Christmas episode, we’re not training anything.We’re reflecting. We’ll talk about: What Christmas really means to our dogs (and why it’s simpler than we think) The comfort of familiar energy, steady leadership, and calm connection Why your dog feels safest when you feel grounded How togetherness—not perfection—is the greatest gift you can give Yes, I may use the word pack… but not in the way you’ve been taught to fear it.Here, pack simply means belonging.A safe social unit.A place where everyone can exhale. This episode is an invitation to let go of expectations, pressure, and ā€œshouldsā€ā€”and to lean into the quiet moments that make this season special. Because leadership during the holidays doesn’t mean managing chaos.It means being the calm inside it. From my home to yours, from my dogs to yours…Merry Christmas. šŸŽ„šŸ¾Thank you for being here, for caring so deeply, and for choosing connection—today and always. Hope you enjoy! Tracy

    5 min
4.9
out of 5
64 Ratings

About

Do you long to have a happy, confident dog you can take anywhere? Are you worried your reactive, fearful dog may hurt someone or something else? Do you have to ā€œprepareā€ yourself to take your dog for a walk around the block? Hey there! I’m Tracy, a retired vet tech turned dog trainer, mom, wife and all-around dog lover. When I realized the key to building confidence in my dog was in understanding him and NOT just tossing treats and obedience my life changed! Now I have a pack of ā€œjust good dogsā€ I trust to take anywhere. And I am sharing it all here! So put down that leash & let's get to it!

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